Combination matchbook and toothpick holder



g- 22, 1961 N. c. MITCHELL 2,997,162

COMBINATION MATCHBOOK AND TOOTHPICK HOLDER Filed Oct. 7, 1960 HVVENTDR.Nicholas C. Mifcluavl BYWG/M Z fg :3 F a 3 HIS ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent 2,997,162 COMBINATION MATCHBOOK AND TOOTHPICK HOLDER Nicholas C.Mitchell, International Hotel, 1173 Island Ave., McKees Rocks, Pa. FiledOct. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 61,262 2 Claims. (Cl. 206-29) This inventionrelates to a combination matchbook and toothpick holder and moreparticularly to a folding paper or cardboard matchbook which has areceptacle for carrying at least one toothpick.

Heretofore, there have been matchbooks which have had provision forcarrying or housing one or more toothpicks, but the toothpicks were solocated therein that they easily became contaminated with some of thesubstances comprising the heads of the matches. Thus, the toothpickswere rendered unusable. Other of these matchbooks, whileadequatelyprotecting the toothpicks from contamination by enclosing themin envelopes, so position the envelopes adjacent the matches that anumber of the envelopes were punctured or broken when a match wasremoved from the match cover, thereby subjecting the toothpicks in theenvelopes to the contamination.

I have invented a combination matchbook and toothpick holder whichprovides a receptacle spaced apart from the matches and so located thatcontamination with the substances comprising the heads of the matches isreduced to a minimum. Specifically, my combination comprises a covermade from a flexible material and folded over transversely thereof toform a front and a back which normally houses a plurality of matches.The cover includes a base formed by an extension of the back which isfolded transversely back upon itself and forwardly. The lower ends ofthe matches are joined to the base and the matches project upwardlytherefrom.

The base includes a receptacle extending widthwise of the cover anddisposed below the joining of the matches thereto. The extension of theback of the cover forms the bottom and the front and rear sides of thereceptacle which has at least one of its ends open for insertion into,and withdrawal from, at least one toothpick.

At least one of the front and rear sides of the receptacle has at leastone end tab integral therewith and separated therefrom by a fold crease.The end tab extends from the end of the side inwardly towards its centerpart and is foldable backwardly upon the fold crease to provide easyaccess to a toothpick disposed in the receptacle.

The receptacle is of such width and depth that its sides frictionallyengage the toothpick disposed therein and thereby assists in maintainingit in the receptacle.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown two preferred embodiments ofmy invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of one embodiment of my combinationmatchbook and toothpick holder;

FIGURE 2 is a view along the line 11-11 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view along the line IIIIII of FIG URE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation view of a second embodiment of mycombination.

Referring to FIGURES 1-3, my combination comprises a matchbook cover 1made from a flexible material such as cardboard, heavy paper, etc. whichis folded over transversely of itself to form a front 2 and a back 3wherein a plurality of tear-away matches 4 are housed. The cover 1includes a base 5 which is formed by an extension 6 of the back 3 foldedtransversely back upon itself and forwardly to terminate in a closureflap 7. The lower ends 8 of the matches are secured to the base byconventional staples 9 with the matches extending upwardly from theirconnection to the base. The staples are spaced apart from the outer end10 of the closure flap whereby the lower end 11 of the front 2 may fitinside and into engagement with the closure flap to effect a shutting ofthe cover.

The extension 6 of the back 3 defines below the staples 9 a receptacle12 running widthwise of the cover with the extension forming the bottom13, front side 14 and rear side 15 of the receptacle. As shown inFIGURES 1-3, both ends 16 and 17 of the receptacle are open but one maybe closed.

Disposed within the receptacle 12 are two toothpicks 1 8 and 19 locatedside by side and extending substantially the length of the receptaclewith their ends inside the ends 16 and 17 of the receptacle. Preferably,the toothpicks are of such length that once inserted into thereceptacle, their ends do not project beyond the sides of the cover 1.To provide sanitation, the two toothpicks are placed in a sanitary paperenvelope 20 which completely encompasses them; however, use of theenvelope is not essential. The receptacle is of such width and depththat its sides frictionally engage the envelope and thereby assist inmaintaining it within the confines of the receptacle. Except forfrictional engagement of the sides of the receptacle with the envelope,it is otherwise separate and independent of the combination andundetached therefrom. Where the envelope is not used, the sides of thereceptacle frictionally engage the toothpicks and maintain them withinthe receptacle.

To insert a toothpick into or withdraw it from the receptacle, one endis placed in the open end of the receptacle and then it is movedtransversely of the cover until the other end is wholly within thereceptacle.

To provide easy removal of a toothpick from the receptacle, there is anend tab 21 integral with each end of the front and back sides of thereceptacle. The sides of the end tab are severed from the front andsides of the receptacle and a fold crease 22 separates the end tab fromthese sides. Accordingly, the tab may be bent or folded backwardly uponits fold crease as shown in FIGURES l and 2 regarding tabs 21a and 21band thereby afr'ord easy access to one end of a toothpick in thereceptacle.

FIGURE 4 shows a second embodiment of my combination which issubstantially the same as the embodiment of FIGURES 1-3 except thatinstead of the end tabs, at least one end 16 of either the front side 14or back side 15 of the receptacle has a notch 23 cut out therefrom. Thisnotch extends from the end of the front or back sides inwardly towardsthe center part thereof and like the end tabs, provides easy access toan end of a toothpick disposed in the receptacle.

My combination has important advantages in that after the toothpicks inthe receptacle have been used, replacements can then be inserted intothe receptacle, thereby assuring a supply of toothpicks for the life ofthe matchbook. In addition, the receptacle houses the toothpicks remotefrom the matches and thereby avoids contamination thereof with thechemicals comprising the match heads. Also, the receptacle completelycontains the toothpicks and thus avoids breakage of their ends andprotection of the ends from contamination with foreign objects orarticles which may render them unsanitary.

The combination is simple and easy to manufacture and does not requiresubstantial alterations to conventional matchbook covers.

While I have shown and described preferred embodiments of my invention,it will be understood that it may be otherwise embodied within the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combination matchbook and toothpick holder comprising a cover madefrom a flexible material and folded over transversely thereof to form afront and back normally housing a plurality of matches, said coverincluding a base formed by an extension of said back which is foldedtransversely back upon itself and forwardly with a lower end portion ofsaid matches being joined to said base and with the matches projectingupwardly therefrom, said base further including a receptacle in the foldthereof extending Widthwise of said cover and disposed below the lowerends of the matches, said extension of said back forming the bottom,front and rear sides of said receptacle which has at least one of itsends open, the front and rear sides being planar and substantiallyparallel, one end of said front and rear sides having an end tabintegral therewith and separated therefrom by a fold crease, said endtab extending from the end of each front and rear side inwardly towardsthe center part thereof and being foldable backwardly upon said foldcrease to provide an access opening to a toothpick disposedlongitudinally in said receptacle, the tabs on the front and rear sidesbeing in alignment transversely of the toothpick to permit the user toreadily grasp the end of the toothpick between opposed fingers 4 whenthe tabs are folded backwardly, at least one toothpick positioned insaid receptacle and being of such length that when disposed therein, itsends do not project beyond the ends of said cover, but do project intosaid access opening, said toothpick being insterted into and withdrawnfrom said receptacle by moving it transversely of said cover, saidreceptacle being of such width and depth that its sides frictionallyengage said toothpick and assist in maintaining it in said receptacle.

2. The holder of claim 1 characterized by at least one of saidtoothpicks being in a sanitary envelope which is separate andindependent of said combination and which is undetached from saidcombination except for frictional engagement with the sides of saidreceptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,268,379 Bird et a1. Dec. 30, 1941 2,320,940 Lipowitz June 1, 19432,372,167 Atamos Mar. 27, 1945 2,373,025 Guyer Apr. 3, 1945 2,963,028Flegle Dec. 6, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 507,727 Great Britain June 20, 1939

